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July 4th celebrations cause injuries across South Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - This Fourth of July proved to be a dangerous one for South Florida residents, with three different kids suffering holiday-related injuries.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is investigating an incident that occurred Tuesday night when a 7-year-old boy was struck by a stray bullet in the area of 731 Alabama Ave.

Gabriel Cartwright said he was outside taking pictures in front of his house when he thought he got hit by a firework.

When he got to the hospital, however, doctors said he had been hit by a bullet. An X-ray showed where the bullet came to rest in his wrist.

“Just here in his wrist. It’s plain as day. It was just kind of … It was nuts,” said Cartwright’s mother, Brianne Staugh. “I mean, I was angry, at first.”

According to police, a family member drove the boy to Plantation General Hospital with an injury to his wrist.

Cartwright showed off the bandage while his family counted their blessings, thankful that the bullet didn’t do more damage.

“People need to realize that if they’re not using a gun for its intended purpose, that the bullet’s gonna end up somewhere,” said Staugh.

Officers canvassed the area but have made no arrests so far.

The trouble continued the following day when an explosive emergency involving fireworks sent another child to the hospital.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue responded to a fireworks injury involving a child in the area of 3412 SW 12th Court, Wednesday evening.

Police said the 6-year-old boy was in his front yard with his older sister when he found a firework and lit it. Witnesses said the firework then exploded in his hand.

Children in the neighborhood said they heard the fireworks and saw the aftermath.

“It was like a ‘boom,’ like a big, big, big noise,” said one neighborhood boy.

Neighbors said they didn’t know what to do when they heard the explosion.

“I came outside, and the girls were just screaming. They were just screaming, like, ‘Oh my gosh, call 911, call the ambulance!'” said one neighborhood girl.

Witnesses said the blast was so strong that it cracked a window in the home.

“The girls were, like, going in the backyard, checking to see if his fingers are out there,” said the neighborhood girl. “He was bleeding, his face, and they had towels all over his hand and blood all over the floor.”

According to officials, the boy was transported to Broward Health Medical Center in serious but stable condition.

The boy’s grandparents said doctors are working to reattach some of his fingers.

And it didn’t end there.

Another juvenile suffered a bad burn in a separate fireworks accident in Miami, Wednesday.

City of Miami Police and fire rescue units responded to the scene of an injury involving a juvenile and fireworks in the area of 260 NW 77th Street, at around 6:30 p.m.

Officials said the boy was struck in the neck when someone shot off a Bottle Rocket.

According to police on scene, the juvenile suffered minor injuries. He was treated on scene and did not require transport.

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